18 months
by DeniseCheryl
Summary: Holly returns to Toronto for good. She decides to surprise Gail and not announce her arrival. When she knocks on Gail's door to surprise her, she is met with Gail's new girlfriend. Why didn't Gail spill this secret when they used to FaceTime?
1. Chapter 1

18 months…

18 months of hard work. Hard work… it is what delivered her to her current status - high flyer in the field of forensic medicine. Dr. H. C. Stewart - the goto person for research, professional opinions and peer reviews. She was sought after in every respect of the word.

18 months of dedication to the contract she had signed. Not a single sick day had been taken. Not to mention a holiday. No, she had worked 6 day weeks for the past 18 months. She was dedicated.

18 months of living in the city by the bay. The city with blue skies, the city with blue water, the city with blue…everything was blue…baby blue. Everything was baby fucking blue.

18 months of and the weekly FaceTime calls with the blonde in Toronto. Her blonde best friend, confidant, former lover. Her blonde. They had fallen into the weekly calls comfortably. They started after Gail's heart was shattered by the social worker advising of a willing family member taking Sophie in. Gail never stood a chance against someone who shared the little girls DNA. Holly tried her best to comfort the blonde from the virtual connection that they shared. Eventually Gail moved on from the moping and life loathing. It had taken almost 6 months though.

She was homesick.

She wanted to see the Blue-Jays. The Raptors. The lake. The blonde…Her blonde.

Here she was, the contract was nearly up. She was offered everything her professional life could ever ask for. That was it though, her professional life. She loved her job in SF. But she could not physically sign on the dotted line for another term. She pondered, the upgraded contract made sense to her. It offered more research, an attractive salary and benefits for her and her immediate family. She stared at the contract, she had read it over at least 5 times. The part that always gave that feeling in her stomach however, was where the benefits were listed to the spouse and children of the employee. She couldn't help but think of taking care of the blonde and give her all of those things. But the blonde wasn't in SF.

It was sunday night. She was settling into the old brown chesterfield in the lounge room. The lounge that she and the blonde used to snuggle on. Used to cry on. Used to….Enough was enough. She sighed as she opened the screen on her Mac. She was about to look into those baby blues and it would tear her in two again - SF, Dr. H. C. Stewart. Or Toronto, Dr. Stewart and Mrs. Gail Stewart. That damn dream kept coming around. Mrs. Gail Stewart, damn that sounded attractive! She wanted it to be a reality.

She was knocked from her reverie by the beeping of the machine on the coffee table. Sheer excitement overcame her. She was about to tell Gail about her contract and pending decision. Decision…Who was she kidding, her mind was made up. Toronto was where she belonged.

But they didn't even get to discuss the contract. The blonde was exhausted. A typical 12 hour shift took all energy from her. So they laughed about the hijinks and mixups that the blonde always excitedly explained. The call ended with an apprehensive 'see you soon' from the blonde. There was definitely something on her mind. But that was for another time.

She closed the screen to the Mac. A contented sigh filled the room. Tomorrow she would send the email that would send her back on the correct life path…her email to decline another position in SF. She was headed back to Toronto. She was headed home.

It was two weeks later that her colleagues farewelled her at a dinner that was worthy of only the finest diners. No expense was spared, the food was amazing, the champagne flowed and goodbyes were said. She decided to let herself enjoy the evening. She was already packed and ready to head back home. Her flight left the following afternoon. She was prepared to surprise Gail tomorrow evening. She was prepared.

She boarded her flight with an extra skip in her step. Her iPod playing Gails favourite classic rock tracks. She was excited. She was almost home. Home. The Blue-Jays, The Raptors, The Blonde.

Customs and immigration took forever. The hire car paperwork was a breeze. She was sitting in the car on her street. Her street. She couldn't rip the smile from her face. she was about to hold Gail in her arms again. Kiss those lips. Smell that Gail smell. Just get lost in that blonde with those baby fucking blues…

So here she was. Knocking on the front door of her town house…the blonde leased it from her when she left for SF. it was supposed to be the first home for Soph when the adoption was complete…That point however was only discussed if the blonde bought it up.

The door opened quickly and she was met with an unfamiliar face. This woman, woman….looked like her. Long flowing brown hair. Glasses, kind of nerdy. Albeit slightly cheaper than those that adorned her face. A slightly toned figure…was she looking in a mirror?

"Can I help you?" came from the woman's mouth, a slightly confused look on her face. "Gai…Gail?" She stumbled. "You're after my gorgeous Gail…let me grab her" the woman spoke. MY, she said my….Holly's brain went into hyperdrive. Before she could even move, the blonde appeared. Her jaw essentially on the ground. As the two stood looking at each other, Holly kept stumbling with her words. She was prepared for this…Or so she thought. She was ready to come home. She just wanted that blonde in her arms. But her eyes caught the brunette with her arm around Gails waist. WHAT?

"Hols…Lunchbox, what are you doing here?" Gail excitedly asked. Holly however, couldn't take her eyes from the arm around Gail's waist…She kept stumbling in her mind….Home. Home, where Mrs. Gail Stewart lived. Was this a Joke? "I'm Home" she spoke softly. At this, her eyes levelled out and connected with those baby fucking blues. For what seemed like days, the eye contact was held…this time, broken by a clearing of the throat. "Ahem" coughed out of the woman beside Gail. "Oh, sorry…Tee, this is Holly" gail spoke looking from one to the other. Tee held out her hand and shook Holly's enthusiastically. She looked at holly and spoke to her, "Nice to meet you, I'm Gail's girlfriend. Please come in, you probably know that Gail is a terrible host." Holly nodded and crossed the threshold. Removing her coat and hanging by the door, an act of habit.

As Holly hung her coat, Tee shrugged into her own. "Well, hello, goodbye Holly. I need to open the cafe early tomorrow. Nice meeting you" She just smiled at Tee. A half wave gesture awkwardly given to the woman. Tee kissed Gail on the cheek and left the town house.

10 minutes later she found herself on a stool by the kitchen bench, directly opposite Mrs. Gail Stew…NO, Ms. Gail Peck. Bourbon in hand and not breaking eye contact with those baby fucking blues. "I'm back…For good" finally spilling her surprise to the blonde. It wasn't supposed to be like this, they were supposed to be tangled in one another by now. Not awkwardly starting into each others eyes. Gail had a look of sheer disbelief on her face. "I guess we need to talk about some stuff Lunchbox" she sighed while gesturing towards a black leather sofa. Holly slumped down and swallowed the amber liquid…She needed another.

Gail flopped down a few moments later and handed her a fresh drink. She placed it onto the coffee table and opened her arms. Gail scotched into her lap and wrapped her arms around her. Considering they were supposed to be talking, Holly was taken aback as brown orbs met blue again…Baby fucking blue. The room suddenly felt hot. "fuck I missed you" Gail whispered while leaning toward her…Then it happened. Lips crashed together. It had been 18 months…


	2. Chapter 2

Gail wasn't surprised. She was hopeless around Holly Stewart. But for Tee to be immediately forgotten, thats not something that Gail would usually allow to happen. So here she found herself, on top of Holly, both completely naked and breathing heavily. She seemed to be in complete comfort for the first time in months…18 months to be exact. She could smell holly, she had just managed to tear Gail apart and she would be lying it she said it was not mutual attraction.

It was Holly who broke the silence. "That should not have happened, You have Tee. I'm guessing that she has no inkling of who I am?" Holly tried to catch Gail's eye while asking the question. "No, absolutely not. She doesn't know who you are." Gail sighed. Holly tried to move, she had the blondes full weight on her though. "We are supposed to be discussing my appearance here Gail, not making lo…having sex behind your girlfriends back." Holly noticed a slight tinge of anger in her tone. This is not something she would usually do, sleep with another woman's girlfriend. She was proud, too proud to be 'the other woman'. This time Gail perched herself up on an elbow, "I know. I know…She did nothing to deserve this. Hols, she's a great girl" Gail challenged herself. They both knew that the reappearance of the once abandoned physical spark between them was something that couldn't be denied. But Holly took it upon herself to be the bigger person. She took the blonde by her bare shoulders and rolled out from under her. Now completely sober and searching for her discarded, haphazardly thrown clothing to place a barrier between them.

She picked up Gails top and tossed it at her, while trying to gather her dignity by holding one arm over her naked chest. "get dressed Cu." Cu had become her nickname for the blonde back before she left Toronto - Cu being the symbol on the periodic table for Copper. It's original use sparked a frenzy of laugher from the blonde towards her beloved 'nerd'. Holly is the only person who was ever allowed to called her either Cu or copper. Gail preferred 'Officer' but always made the exception when it came from the doctor. "We are going to talk, sort out this, this mess we have just created." Holly was clearly flustered.

Gail could only nod back at the doctor, she got dressed again and sat down on the sofa, this time placing a reasonable distance between her and her lover? former lover? girlfri…No that was Tee. "Why didn't you tell me you had a girlfriend?" Holly questioned. "I didn't want to have to see that look on your face again" she countered. "What look?" came a swift reply. "Hols, when you left, I dropped you at the gate and you gave me that look" She broke the eye contact and looked down, picking at her fingernail. "That broken hearted look" this time gail lifted her eyes to Holly's, now behind those designer specs again. Holly lifted her eyebrows as encouragement for Gail to continue. So she did, she took in a deep breath and looked Holly straight in the eyes "I couldn't ask you to stay with me. I had that business going on with Soph. I couldn't ask you to be my rock during that. Fuck I was crazy then Hols." she took another breath, "That look you gave me, you were challenging me to ask you to stay…It broke your heart that I never asked." Holly couldn't believe it, the way Gail was communicating was incredible. She had grown so much. The woman she knew with the bad attitude and lack of social skills was talking about feelings and self realisation. Holly knew she had to speak, Gail was searching her eyes for something, something to give away her though processes.

"This isn't what I had planned…I stupidly expected to come running back into your arms…well, romantically, not this…" she gestured towards the sofa, clearly indicating the act they had just committed. "I guess I got it completely wrong Gail" She stood up and started pacing. She was starting to get frustrated.

Gail watched the frantic woman in front of her. It was pushing 9pm and curiosity overcame frustration. "Lunchbox, you don't have anywhere to stay, do you?" she dropped her head. Holly looked in her direction and shook her head silently. She finally croaked out a statement to the blonde, "I guess I expected things to be different Cu, I certainly didn't expect you to be with someone else." Gail saw the hurt in Holly's face, deep down she knew Holly was right, Gail had Tee and that needed to be respected. Tee didn't deserve for her girlfriends ex to come back to town and engage in what can only be described as passionate sex with her. Tee had the right to have faith in Gail. After all, Gail wouldn't enter into a relationship with just anyone. Gail was special like that. She only did things that were well thought through. Until she kissed Holly mere minutes ago.

"would it be weird?" she asked the doctor. Holly again raised her eye brows, "weird?" she countered. "Well, technically this house is yours. It has a second bedroom and you are back. Can we cohabit this house while we figure everything out?" holly again looked toward her with questioning eyes. "Figure what out Cu?"

Gail reached out her hand and steadied herself on Holly's elbow. "Whatever the fuck is going on Hols" this time she pulled Holly toward her and held her in a tight embrace. They held each other tightly. For minutes, it could have been hours. Neither knew. A silent understanding was transferred between the two, further discussions needed to be had regarding their situation. But right now, they each needed to explain where they were mentally, professionally and most of all, for Holly, why she was back home.

"Fine, it wont be weird" Holly allowed to come out of her mouth. "How about I explain whats been happening over past month?" she half smiled at Gail. "Let you know how my contract finished and about my new position here in Toronto?" Gail smiled and made her way to the kitchen. Both realising that a cup of tea was in store.


	3. Chapter 3

Gail listened intently. Holly always spoke so passionately about her work. She clearly loved the position in SF. and from all indications, she worked her arse off. Holly explained the different types of research programs that she worked with and how she still go to do the most interesting part of it all, perform the autopsies. It was pushing 1am by the time Gail had the guts to ask about her return. She had only been talking about SF, not the actual move back home.

"So Lunchbox, you obviously kicked arse in SF…but why are you home?" she asked point blank. "My contract finished Gail. I wanted to come home" she sighed. She shouldn't go there, put her heart out there. Not when Gail belonged to another woman. "I wanted to come home" she left it at that. Both understanding the limb that the doctor had gone out on. They just nodded in silence. The words didn't need to be spoken, they were conversed through a series of actions that had occurred in the past few hours. The doctor kept her declarations of love to herself. Dr. Stewart was too proud to take another woman's girlfriend. Gail knew however, the doctor could read her like a book. But that knowledge of the other went both ways.

A few minutes of silence were shared. Then the silence was broken by Gail's laughter. "I know you're dying to make the statement that Tee is your doppelgänger Hols." A smile lit up Holly's face, her glasses now resting on the lamp table beside the soft. Her fatigue clearly evident in the droopy eyes that connected with Gail's. After all, she was in a different time zone, had drank the night previous and had what could only be described as the most satisfying sex of the past 18 months all in the past 24 hours. "Nope, I'm better looking" was the smart reply she came out with. They both started laughing. They had somehow managed to reach a point where they had had sex, then become friends again whilst sitting on the black sofa. Weird. No, Gail was determined to sort it out. She softly backhanded the doctor on her right and came out with it, "Everyone kept calling her Holly when they first saw her" Holly snickered.

"How long has she been your girlfriend?" she wash't sure she wanted to know the answer. She needed to do the right thing though. That was what made Holly such an amazing person, she always did the right thing. "4 months now" Gail nodded while she answered.

So Holly listened, and asked all of the right questions. It managed to get them back to the point where they were best friends. Like before the time when Gail cut her hair, way back when Gail was 'straight'. Like when they went to the batting cages. Like when they watched friends reruns and ate pizza or thai food and laughed at all Gail's bad dates that her mother sent her on.

Gail started from the beginning. Tee owned the cafe on the corner of the block where 15 was. Gail had been getting her regular coffee there for almost a month before she realised that Tee had been writing her phone number on the side of her takeaway cup. That move earned her points in Gail's eyes. 4 weeks straight of putting it out there and not giving up. It was down to Gail's blonde hair and Dov's snooping before she realised that "Tee 123-432-768" was the barista with the goofy smile that made amazing coffee. So Dov gave her a kick in the right direction and personally dialled the number and forced the phone to Gail's ear. From that phone call, Gail had managed to find herself at one of the trendiest speak easy's in Toronto. She thought of Tee from that moment as being like Holly, but without the nerd factor. Or the style. Or the athletic ability. Tee was a hipster, granted. But she was fun. And fun was what Gail Peck needed.

Gail skimmed over the 'adoption fiasco' as it was now known. Holly realised that it was something that clearly still played on her mind. At this, Holly also realised that while they did speak weekly, they missed so much. Gail seemed genuinely happy when talking about Tee. She smiled. While that gave Holly a tinge of the green eyed monster, she also felt strangely at peace. Gail was able to allow herself to fall for someone else. That was amazing. She was able to open up.

—-

The sound of a barking dog frightened Holly from slumber. She opened her eyes and saw the blonde at the opposite end of the sofa turning the alarm off. They both stretched. Fatigue evident in both of them. "I've got shift today. I knock off at 3" Gail yawned. Holly awkwardly moved to get herself ready to go. "Sit down Lunchbox" Gail shoved her and she fell back to the sofa. "I'll make the bed up in the other room for you. You look like you need sleep and time to adjust." Holly just nodded. She was awoken again 30 minutes later by the blonde, freshly showered and ready to head to the station. "Lunchbox, lets get you to bed" she whispered as she helped the doctor to her feet and up the stairs. Once she kicked the door ajar, Holly fell to the bed. Sheer exhaustion taking over. Gail pulled the covers over her and left the room.

What was she going to tell Tee? She would be over tonight, as always. Now Gail had a housemate…A housemate whom she slept with last night. Guilt got the better of her and she knew it.

—-

She closed her locker after changing into her uniform. She was running late for parade, that meant desk duty. Sure enough, 'Peck' was listed at the bottom of the list when the assignments were released. She sighed. One thing came to mind, she needed coffee. Traci was heading towards her and stifling a yawn. Gail smiled. She knew how to work this situation to her advantage. "Sister in-law-to-be, you need coffee. Just like me. Tee will make you one if you pop over and get it" she smirked at the detective. "You better not be joking Gail" she raised her eyebrows. "Nope, texting her now" Gail smiled at her. "Fine, give me 10" she spoke and she turned and walked off.

Gail leant against the desk reading from the print out of what happened in the division overnight. Nothing of interest shot out at her. She was almost finished when a coffee entered her line of sight and she grabbed for it. Traci quickly pulled back. Gail shot her a questioning look. "Holly?" the detective questioned her. "Oh, Tee mentioned that?" she looked at her friend. Traci grabbed her by the elbow and dragged her into a side room, "Why did Holly show up on your doorstep last night?" she questioned and followed on with another statement; "Tee thinks that your friend has just come back. Why would she think that Gail?" This time she used a tone of voice that had clearly been passed on from Gail's own brother. Gail was a little too confident for Traci. "Tee has jumped to that conclusion herself. Don't worry Traci. Holly is back and she came over to say hi."

She took a deep breath, "I've got to tell Tee though, I know. She doesn't know who Holly is and she needs to get to know her" she spoke quickly. Traci was confused, "Get to know her?" she looked at Gail questioningly. "Holly and I are going to be housemates, she's having the other room" Gail nodded at Traci. She again spoke, "Don't worry Trac, I will explain to Tee, I've got it under control" She got a nod from the detective."Ok Gail, don't hurt Tee" Traci shot Gail a knowing look. Traci and her brother knew that she and Holly were meant to be, but they also loved Tee dearly. Tee was good for Gail.

—-

Holly awoke to a text from Gail.

_G: Lunchbox, Tee is coming over tonight. You need to meet her. _

She read it agin, why was she panicking? Would Tee know that Holly was still in love with Gail. Would she know that the blonde was the love of Holly's life. Would she know that she came back to Toronto to surprise Gail? Would she know what they did last night?

She sent a reply to Gail.

_H: Not sure if I'm going to live here Cu. It's too weird._

She hit send. Then started typing again.

_H: Not to mention that you're in love with someone else…_

Holly tossed her phone onto the bed and got up to take a shower. She dug some fresh clothes out of the suitcase she had retrieved from the car. She was conflicted.

—-

Gail's eyes opened wide at the message. 'in love' was a serious call coming from the doctor. But was she in love with Tee? Tee had certainly voiced her feelings to Gail about a month ago. Tee told her point blank, she loved her. But she never expected the blonde to say it back. Gail never did.

Did she love Tee? Did she? She was confused.

_G: Slow down Hols, I'll be home at 3. We can talk then._

—-

Holly finally emerged from the shower. It was strangely familiar to see Gail's possessions in that bathroom. So much had happened in that very room. That was where Gail chopped off the long locks in a drunken state. That was where Holly 'fixed' said locks for her. That was where they had 'that shower'….It was that shower that led to them first sleeping together. It was in that very bathroom that when packing Holly's possessions for SF, Gail muttered under her breath "I love you Lunchbox". To this day, Gail has no idea that she heard her. Or heard when she replied; "I love you too Cu"

Holly shook herself out of the reminiscent state. She needed to get a hold of herself. After all, Gail never denied being in love with Tee. She decided to wait for the blonde to return home. She would again be the bigger person and step aside. Tee was the rightful person to be living in the house with Gail. Holly was not Gail's girlfriend, Tee was. Confusion again getting the better of her.

_H: Ok Cu, I'll see you soon._

She sighed and decided to catch up on her emails. Her new job didn't start for another month, but that didn't mean she wasn't sought after. Opening her Mac, she saw something that made her stomach flutter. It was addressed to Dr. H. C. Stewart, Ontario Chief Forensic Medical Examiner. That was the title of a woman who got what she wanted. And what Ontario's new CFME wanted was slightly out of reach. But damned if she couldn't bridge that gap.

That gap was Mrs. Gail Stewart.


End file.
